While one might not think that, given the current state of retail, what the world really needs is an incredibly luxurious capsule collection of jewelry, Hermes would beg to differ, offering a new line of "haute bijouterie" from Pierre Hardy.
Hardy's 14-piece collection focuses less on bling than on strong, sculptural shapes that he felt were inspired by the brand's equestrian roots -- specifically, a horse's hoof. "Hermès is not a very precious universe," he told WWD. "I simply went back to its roots and to the horse’s hoof, taking the roughest, strongest, almost radical element and giving it the most feminine, the most modern interpretation."
Well, "precious" or no, the materials involved in the collection -- from pave diamonds to black jade -- are what give the collection its soaring price tags: the collection ranges from around $23,000 to $880,000. (Not surprisingly, even the boxes the jewelry's encased in will be high-end, made of alligator leather.)
For skeptics who'd insist there are few people who'd be able to drop that kind of cash on a quirky capsule collection right now, think again: The waiting list for the pieces (which can be custom-tailored if the client so wishes) is apparently five to seven months already. As Herems chief executive Patrick Thomas told WWD, the demand for bespoke jewelry is actually rising -- economy be darned -- and currently represents "at least 10 percent of our business."
